Richard Francis ‘Dick’ Horner was born in Beaminster, Dorset in 1932, the son of Mr F H F Horner & Mrs Horner (nee Dyer). He joined the Royal Navy as a Midshipman on 1 January 1950 and was promoted to Sub Lieutenant on 1 May 1951. He joined Submarines with an appointment to HMS DOLPHIN for the Submarine Course and joined HMS TRADEWIND on 29 June 1953. He then joined HMS ACHERON as Third Hand on 15 October 1954, subsequently working his way up to be First Lieutenant.

Richard Horner completed his Commanding Officer’s Qualifying Course in 1959 and was appointed to HMS THERMOPYLAE in Command. Next came an appointment to HMS PRESIDENT. Promotion to Lieutenant Commander followed on 16 July 1961. He was then appointed to HMS NARWHAL in Command on 24 July 1964. Richard Horner was then appointed to HMS WARSPITE as the First lieutenant, standing by whilst completing at Vickers at Barrow in Furness.

Richard Horner is reported to have died in a car accident near Barrow, on 21 March 1967. He was the husband of Moyna Highton Horner (nee Short)